MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Drewrys Brewing Company, a recently revived historic beer maker from South Bend, Indiana, has entered into distribution agreements with Beer Capitol Distributing of Sussex, Wisconsin to bring the recently-revived, historic favorite lager beer to Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties!
"Drewrys has a long and successful history in the Milwaukee area marketplace. Beer drinkers throughout Wisconsin are anxious to enjoy an ice cold Drewrys, and we're pleased to be able to bring back this proud brand to our customers," Mike Merriman, President of Beer Capitol Distributing said.
Drewrys relaunched its classic Drewrys lager during a gala event in October 2013, with nearly 400 attendees eager for the first taste of a beer that was absent for the last 40 years. The Drewrys brand continued to gain local momentum through its nostalgic appeal, quality taste and grassroots marketing campaign, and in October 2014 Drewrys announced plans to open a new brewery, tasting room and café, and small museum in a historic South Bend, Indiana, location.
Now, with a strong pool of investors already on board, Drewrys has moved forward with its capital raise and plans to expand its reach to customers throughout the Midwest. Investors take an active role in the future of Drewrys as stockholders help to shape and share their visions for the company, which continues its return to Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan and Illinois markets. The classic Drewrys lager should be on the shelves throughout the southeastern portion of Wisconsin by the end of January.
“Everyone we talk with has a Drewrys memory, and nobody knows the history of beer in the Midwest than do our new Wisconsin partners. The historic brand is so embedded in the Midwest region’s culture that we now expect Drewrys to become Wisconsin's beer of choice once again," Dan Blacharski, Drewrys vice president of marketing said.
Known for the lager as well as new small-batch products, Drewrys was originally founded in 1877 in Canada, coming to Indiana immediately after the end of Prohibition. It was the 10th-largest brewer in the country and a mainstay in Wisconsin homes until 1972, when it was purchased during the “beer war” and ultimately shut down in the 1990s. The brand was revived by Chicago businessman Frank Manzo and returned to the market in 2013.
“The timing was right for the return of Drewrys. “The acquisition of various regional brews by big beer giants resulted in the loss of many hometown favorites. Unfortunately, some of those excellent recipes and flavors were lost forever, but not ours. Now the market is shifting and people are growing tired of mass-produced adjunct lagers and over-priced microbrews alike. That’s where we fit in," Manzo, the Drewrys president said.